Sir Keir Starmer is facing fierce criticism at home and abroad over his long-term military financial commitment, which \u201cfalls well short of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time,\u201d according to US defence under-secretary Elbridge Colby.<\/p>\n
Colby\u2019s comments come alongside the Trump administration\u2019s announcement that it plans to shrink Nato\u2019s pool of military capabilities the US provides to assist European nations in a major crisis.<\/p>\n
The US will redeploy 50 aircraft from its 150-strong fleet of F\u201116 and F\u201115E jets, along with nine maritime reconnaissance planes and eight aerial tankers. It will also withdraw a submarine, an aircraft carrier and several warships \u2013 all currently used for Europe\u2019s defence.<\/p>\n
While the whole Nato Europe alliance is impacted, Mr Colby also urged Britain to bolster its military strength with \u201curgency, scale, and determination\u201d.<\/p>\n
Sir Keir Starmer is yet to detail how he will repair the defence budget which was the major reason why defence secretary John Healey and armed forces minister Al Carns both resigned.<\/p>\n
In his resignation letter on Thursday Mr Healey said the Prime Minister had been \u201cunable, and the Treasury has been unwilling to commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country at this time of rising threats\u201d.<\/p>\n
Reposting the correspondence Mr Colby said: \u201cThe United Kingdom has an extraordinarily proud military history. It commands our respect,\u201d adding \u201cThere is again a great need for more British military strength in this critical time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Next week\u2019s G7 meeting adds to pressure on Sir Keir over the defence budget<\/p>\n
The US intervention will ramp up pressure on the embattled Prime Minister ahead of next week\u2019s meeting of heads of the G7 group of leading democracies and July\u2019s Nato summit, where defence spending by members will dominate amid force cutbacks by the Pentagon.<\/p>\n
Donald Trump, who will attend, has had a fractious relationship with Nato, saying the US has been carrying other countries financially, and tensions have been further fueled by Iran. <\/p>\n
UK military chiefs had called for about \u00a328 billion over four years, and about \u00a318 billion had been sought by officials in Whitehall.<\/p>\n
But the Dip promised just \u00a313.5 billion, of which only \u00a310 billion was extra money, and defence sources claimed the other \u00a33.5 billion was \u201cTreasury trickery\u201d, likely from expected efficiency savings or cuts.<\/p>\n
Mr Healey said the extra support was also \u201cbackloaded\u201d to later years of the settlement, when the need for the money was urgent. <\/p>\n
The vacancy left by Mr Healey has been filled by Parachute Regiment veteran Dan Jarvis, who had been security minister.<\/p>\n
Europe\u2019s \u00a3745bn Nato defence spending gap<\/p>\n
European Nato members face a massive financial gap, with EU and defense experts estimating it will cost up to \u20ac500 billion (approx. \u00a3420 billion) to replace US strategic assets and military support.<\/p>\n